Girls Are Just As Good As Guys
by ino4life
Summary: Two years have passed since Sasuke left, and only a few weeks since he had come back. He and 9 other ninja are entered in a contest. Their are 6 guys and 4 girls. Girls...can be just as good as guys.
1. Girls Can Be Just As Good As Guys

Girls Are Just As Good As Guys

OK HERE IS JUST A SHOT AT THE STORY. DUNNO IF YA WILL LIKE IT YET OR WHATEVER, BUT I WOULD LIKE 4 REVIEWS FOR EACH STORY BEFORE I CONTINUE, JUST SO I KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO READ IT STILL!

On TV: _Sasuke Uchiha. Age:15. Prodigy and still-present avenger of the Uchiha clan. Will he be able to win the title of "Top Ninja"? Or will he lose to the opposing teams. _

_Neji Hyuuga._

_TenTen._

_Naruto Uzumaki._

_Hinata Hyuuga._

_Kiba Inuzuka._

_Temari of the Sand._

_Kankuro of the Sand._

_Shikamaru Nara. _

_Ino Yamanaka._

_The big question is though...can he lose to most talented kunoichi...Ino Yamanaka. Age: 15. Only child of Inoichi and Kisa Yamanaka. With her mind-bending techniques, Can she beat the Uchiha prodigy. Tune in next Monday to find out as we start our first of seven events._

Sasuke switches off the television and goes slowly walks out to the backyard. He scrunches over sitting on the stone step looking over the small circular pond as he starts to think.

_'The first event starts next week. It gives me little time to practice. At least by myself. That loser Naruto has been coming over for about two weeks to practice up for the event. Why did Kakashi-sensei ever pick him...well at least he has a sorta chance of winning than Sakura. But her chakra control does give her an edge. Let see...6 guys and 4 girls are in this event. A total of 10 people. The first event I think is a survival excercise so the ones who cant find their way around would be weeded out and then go on. If I go and--'_

At the very moment, Naruto charges in through the back door.  
"Hey Sasuke-teme. Come on! Kakashi-sensei said that we should be training. Come on, let's go on out to our training spot."

Sasuke gives in willingly thinking that it would be some good training...maybe.

Naruto and Sasuke quietly cross through town...well actually Sasuke stayed quiet as Naruto kept on kept on saying "YEAH! I'M GONNA WIN THIS EVENT AND BE CALLED TOP NINJA! IT'S JUST ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEING THE HOKAGE! YEAH! BELIEVE IT!"

Sasuke sneers at the knucklehead ninja and keeps walking till they get to their destination. As the raven-haired ninja prepares himself, he hears some voices in the distance. Sasuke walks over and peers through a bush to see Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji training. Ino and Choji were sparring against each other. And Shikamaru was laying on the ground looking

_'They must be training for the event too. Now that Nara kid wont be much of a challenge really...but that reporter about that Ino was kind of right. I dont really know much of her techniques besides the Mind Transfer Jutsu. So I dont know what to expect. It would be...'_

Deja vu...

Once again...the blond haired ninja taps Sasuke on the shoulder, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey Teme...what are you doing?"

Sasuke pulls back and stands up straight.

"Nothing. Come on. Let's practice..."

Naruto scratches his head like always in confusion. As he turns his head he catches a glimpse of Team 10 in training and jumps forward out of the bush to greet them.

"Hey Shikamaru! Hey Choji! Hey Ino! Are you guys practicing for the event too?! So are we!"

Ino and Choji stop in their sparring and look at Naruto. Shikamaru sits up and crosses his arms behind his head.

"What do you mean by "we"?"

Naruto looks in dismay and turns around to motion Sasuke to come out of the shadows.

Shikamaru coughs as Ino and Choji look at them with Naruto about to say something again, Ino sits back onto the ground avoiding Sasuke, showing that she was getting over Sasuke.

"Yeah me and teme are going to practice. Mind if we practice with you guys?"

Shikamaru and Choji shrug as Shikamaru motions his hand towards Ino.  
"It's up to Ino..."

Naruto looks at Ino is looking up towards the sky. Finally Naruto's eyes met Ino's pure blue eyes.

"Fine...but dont think about even copying or analyzing any of our moves. I'm not going to be losing to either of you guys. You guys can stay here. I'm going to go train by myself. _No one_ follow."

Shikamaru sighs as well as Choji.

Naruto and Sasuke start to get confused.  
"What's with _her_?"

Shikamaru shrugs as he turns to look at Sasuke and turns back to Choji, who nods slowly.

"Dunno."

**Ino's Training Spot**

Ino quietly travels to her special spot in the woods. A quiet pond that is flowed in by a gentle waterfall. She had been training and hanging around lately to get her mind off some _things. _

Slowly and gracefully Ino hops onto the stones planted above water to serve balance. With each of her steps, confidence grew.

Ever since Sasuke had gotten back to Konoha, Ino's feelings for him had almost been gone. Ino's mind was all over the place now because of the two years that had gone by, as she kept thinking about him.

As Ino keeps moving from one stone to another, she accidently slips and falls into the water.

_'Damn...I'm losing focus. Why does he have to suddenly appear? A week from the event. My whole mind is gonna blow if he keeps coming around. Who knew my mind would react like this?'_

Ino gets up carefully, soaking wet. She gracefully glides across the water and lays down on the grass drying to dry off, again thinking.

_'Why did he ever have to come back...?'_

**Sasuke's POV**

Throughtout the rest of her training period, Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Choji were sparring each other. It was past noon, and Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji had went to Ichiraku's. Sasuke was picked to go and get Ino after he had won the sparring. A gift from Naruto...

Sasuke sighed as he walked along quietly looking for the blond haired kunoichi. As he strolled past, he heard the sound of the waterfall and decided to check it out. He peeked through between some trees and saw a girl with long blond hair, laying on the grass in the sun.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, a puff of smoke occurs and the girl wasnt laying on the grass anymore. A string was cut, and a kunai was shot, heading for Sasuke. He immediately dodges it, and a soft hand grasps his arm and bends it back. He was caught in a trap. As he opens his eyes to look up, he sees none other than...Ino Yamanaka.

"What are you doing here? Spying on me or something?"

**Ino's POV**

As Ino settles in, under the sun...she casually nods off to sleep. A couple hours pass by and Ino awakes to the crunching of grass beneath someone else's feet. She stays still, thinking of a plan. As she carefully sets up her trap, the wondering person came to a stop. And her plan, commensed. Smoke blew everywhere. Right on mark. She cut a string, and a kunai came flying towards the person as she slipped behind him or her bending their arm back and holding them in a stance. The smoke blew away and her crystal blue eyes met onyx ones. She tossed him aside and crossed her arms across her chest.

"What are you doing here? Spying on me or something?"

Normal POV

Sasuke shrugs as she complys her question again.

Ino grows angry and then slowly cools down.

"Well? I'm waiting..."

The blond 15-year-old taps her foot, waiting for an answer to her question.

Sasuke smirks and shrugs again.

"Naruto and the others wanted to know if you wanted to go to Ichiraku's for ramen. So they made me come here to find you."

Ino sighs partly in relief and partly in disbelief.

"Fine then. But you really didnt need to sneak up on me. You really shouldnt..."

Ino grabs her bag and starts to head off with Sasuke trailing behind.

_'She seems...different now. Almost as if she had a different personality since we had last seen each other. Like she has dropped everything and became more into fighting. It's definetly certain that her techniques have improved. More than Sakura's too...this one may be hard to beat...'_

* * *

_Ok...well here is what I have for the first one. PLZ LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE!_


	2. Love Can Happen To Anyone

_**LAST TIME**_

_Ino grabs her bag and starts to head off with Sasuke trailing behind._

_'She seems...different now. Almost as if she had a different personality since we had last seen each other. Like she has dropped everything and became more into fighting. It's definetly certain that her techniques have improved. More than Sakura's too...this one may be hard to beat...'_

_**NEW STORY AWAITS**__**

* * *

Love Can Happen...To Anyone**_

**At Ichiraku's**

The young 15 year old blond and raven-haired teens arrived several minutes after the big fiasco near the training ground. As Ino approached slowly, she could already see that Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji were there. Others she knew where there too. Like Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Neji, TenTen, Lee, Sakura, and even the new ninja from the ANBU root, Sai. Surprisingly, Ino had found out that he didnt think she was pretty. Sai had said the opposite thing of what he was supposed to, and had lied to her by calling her, "Ms. Lovely."

Ino carefully seated herself inbetween Shikamaru and Sakura, who were far, far, away from Sai.

"Hey Pig! What took you so long? Naruto is, like, already on his third bowl. Man, you must have been having a good time with Sasuke."

Ino glared at her, now once again, best friend with what looked like daggers shooting out of her eyes. Ino doesnt know how to explain it, but somehow, about sometime after _**he**_ had left, she and Ino had been getting along more. But still, they always call each other the ridiculous names "Pig" and "Forehead" for whatever reason they had. Ino had though that since it was such a used nickname, then it was OK.

"Shut up Forehead."

Ino ordered herself a miso ramen at the same time when Sasuke entered the little ramen shop. Ino could feel the stares of everyone in the room on her because of what they were thinking, she could tell that it wasnt good...at all.

In an instant, she gets up quickly and she pays for her ramen she hadnt even eaten and runs out of the Ichiraku's. All 12 ninja look towards the direction she runs toward in with Shikamaru sighing in the end.

_'It's happening to her again. God...why does she have to do this. Women are so troublesome.'_

Sakura, with sudden concern in her eyes, bolts out of the ramen shop, following after Ino.

**

* * *

In The Village**

As Ino runs, she starts to run out of breath after running for about 30 minutes. She slowly comes to a stop and slumps down by a tree near the Konoha Academy, gasping for some air to come back into her system. Five minutes later, Sakura had gotten caught up with Ino and arrived in the park. She scouted the park and finally found Ino by the tree near their old Academy when they first came to learn about being a ninja.

Ino spots her pink-haired friend and gets ready to get up and run more, but is stopped from some aching in her leg.

Sakura carefully kneels down before Ino and looks at her.

"Ino...what are you doing?"

Ino smirks, trying to show that she is ignoring the question being asked.

"Ino! If you dont answer me, then I'll just have to bring Shikamaru over here and get you to talk."

Ino glares at Sakura for a minute.

_'She wouldnt bring Shika over here, would she? Man...if she does, he would get the answer out in a split second. I dont know why...I guess Shika is kinda like my brother, even if he is a genius and stuff.'_

Ino finally gave up as Sakura ready herself to call Shikamaru over.

"Fine."

Sakura immediately stops with a smile on her face.

"I thought you would say that. So? Talk."

Ino inhales deeply and then exhales as she tries to sort out everything in her mind before she starts to speak.

"I'm just sick of it all..."

Sakura flinches with confusion.

"Of what?"

"OF EVERYTHING!!" Ino screams and then cluthes her head in disbelief that she had just done that almost in tears.

Sakura slips down by the young Yamanaka and sits next to her rubbing her back for comfort.

"Come on Ino. Let's go back to Ichiraku's. I mean there's no harm to it. Annoyingly to say, you were granted to be the best kunoichi of the village and had the best chance of winning the event. Tsunade-sama even said so."

Sakura says in a huff, remembering to hit herself later for bashing herself. But it was true. Ino was granted the acknowledgement of being one of the best kunoichi of the Leaf. The Fifth even requested Ino to be a representative instead of Shikamaru or Choji.

Ino's eyes wander from flower to flower that lay in front of her, until she finally spoke.

"...Well...of course I am. But...I'm am NOT gonna go back there. I'll just go to the Shop. I need to go there anyway."

Sakura, already standing up, smiles brightly at her friend and extends a hand out to her.

"OK, Pig. Then come on. I'll walk with ya to the shop. I need to pick up an order from there today anyway, so come on."

Ino looks at her hand for a few moments and finally agrees to it and gets up. She dusts herself off and wipes away the dry tears on her face.

"OK Forhead. Would they by any chance be for Lee or something?"

Sakura starts to slightly blush.

"W-What? Shut up Pig! You dont know what you're talking about!"

Ino fires back with a smirk.

"Oh...but I do Sakura. I do know. You like him now, dont you? Dont even lie, I've seen you two help each other out and stuff at the hospital. So just admit it!"

Sakura glances around to see if there were any eavesdroppers.

"Ok...fine. I a-admit it. I do like him kinda sorta. He's become very sweet over the years and well...I guess I've fallen for him or something."

Ino squeals and throws her fist in the air with a show of glee and starts to giggles.

"I knew it!"

Sakura smirks back at her.

"You better not let anyone know Pig. I want to let him know myself."

Ino stops in her tracks from bouncing around and holds out her pinky.

"Promise."

Sakura returns it and crosses her pinky with Ino's showing their promise they had just made. Sakura then puts her hand on her hips inhaling, showing that she was about to speak.

"Ok. Now that that's taken care of, how about you? Do you really still like Sasuke?"

Ino turns her her emerald-eyed friend and glares.

"W-What are you talking about? Of course I DONT! I could care less about Sasuke Uchiha."

Sakura makes a face, -.-, showing that she wasnt believing in any of that.

"Liar! You still like him! Pig, I know you still like him."

Ino blushes slightly in disbelief to her friend's statement.

"No. I. Dont. I-I..."

Ino was cut off abruptily by Shikamaru and Choji who were standing off in the distance calling for her.

"Hey Ino! Come on. Tsunade-sama wants to see us. And Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke are looking for you. They said that they want to meet you for training."

Sakura nods telling Shikamaru that she had gotten the message. She turns to Ino and gives her a small hug.

"Well Ino...I gotta go now. Give me a call or something anything. And oh, could you come over tonight with the flowers. I kinda need them for tomorrow."

Ino nods.

"Yeah ok. Till then, Forehead."

"Later Pig."

As they departed each other and bid their goodbyes, Ino reunited with Shikamaru and Choji, on their way to the Fifth's office.

Ino trudges along looking at the ground.

"So Shika...what does the Fifth want?"

Shikamaru scratches his head.

"I dont know. She called for us while we were at Ichiraku's with the others. Troublesome woman."

Ino glare-squints at Shikamaru.

_'Heh. The same as ever...Shikamaru...'_

Shikamaru turns his head suspiciouslously and looks at Ino.

"What?"

Ino shakes her head.

"Huh? Oh...nothing. Just thinking. You know."

She puts on her smile, showing her pearly white teeth.

"Whatever..."

_'Troublesome women...they are all the same...'_

**

* * *

At the Hokage's Office Door**

Shikamaru knocks on the large wooden doors three times and holds the doorknob. It is then he opens it when he hears Tsunade call out "Enter!"

One by one, Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji filed into Tsunade's office. Ino stepped forward waiting to speak. The blond Hokage lifts her hand slightly up in the air to tell that Ino could start speaking.

"Tsunade-sama...just what are we doing here? You know that me and Shika have to practice for the event. Along with Choji who is going to help us. In no disrespect, I would like to ask, what **are** we doing here?"

Tsunade groans a bit and exhales and then inhales some air.

"You three are here because I first of all need you to remember what I had said when Uchiha, Sasuke and come back."

The sound of Sasuke's name struck Ino's mind.

_Flashback_

_Three Months Ago:_

_All of the once Rookie Nine, and Team Gai, excluding Sasuke, were in Tsunade's office, chatting with each other as they waited for Tsunade to come in._

_After 10 minutes of waiting, the blond-haired sannin/hokage, kicked through the doors, making everyone quiet down. Tsunade sat down and put her elbows on her table like usual when discussing an important matter. She waved her hand to Naruto and Sakura to come to the front. _

_"OK...as you all know. Uchiha, Sasuke was brought back last night. He is currently under interrogation. I need each and everyone of you to treat him like before. It seems right now that he still wants revenge on Uchiha, Itachi, but not as much since we had captured him in Otogakure and brought him back here to Konoha. And also, Team 10: Nara, Shikamaru, Akimichi, Choji, Yamanaka, Ino, please step forward._

_Sakura and Naruto step back to join the rest of the group as Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji step forward to face Tsunade._

_"You three...in three months time I will be calling you three back for some important data and small missions for you to carry about within the village. Let Sasuke Uchiha know nothing of this. This is also confidential information for the rest of you. As Team 10 is starting to carry out their missions within the village. None of you must not tell Sasuke about it. For some insight, I'll tell you about it. It's several missions for these three to individually take note on the Uchiha's wearabouts. To see if anything has changed, you must hang around him as if nothing has happened in the last two and a half years. You are all dismissed..."_

_One by one, each of the leaf ninja file out._

_End Of Flashback_

Ino looks straight at Tsunade's brown eyes with her own sparkling blue ones.

"So it's about the individual missions you were to give us?"

A small smile appears on Tsunade's lips.  
"Well I see you have good memory."

She says, as she looks at Shikamaru and Choji who were a bit confused still.

"Yes. It is about that. First I will assign each of you something to do for this week. Shikamaru and Choji, I want you two to hang around him like usual and get to know him better. Ino, for your job, I know it might be a little hard considering that you dont like him much anymore."

Ino looks at her blond-haired sensei.

"Huh? What are you trying to ask me to do? Like going on a date with him?!"

Ino starts to laugh at the idea.

"Well that was my idea."

Tsunade lifts her elbows onto her desk and lays her chin on her hands.

Ino stops laughing and anger starts to boil in her blood. She walks straight towards Tsunade's desk and punches it hardly.

"WHAT?! HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO THAT?! ESPECIALLY WITH THE EVENT COMING UP! I CANT POSSIBLY GO OUT WITH THAT GUY AND WIN!! HE'S MY RIVAL DURING THE EVENT TOO! NOOO! I REFUSE!!! I. REFUSE!"

Tsunade sighs, looking calm still.  
"I thought you might say that. Then I guess I'll just ask Sakura for her help. I mean she still likes him, right?"

Ino stops and is struck with another though.

_'W-Wait...Sakura? No...she doesnt like him anymore. She likes Lee now...and after all that hard time she gave him...no...I wont let Tsunade tell Sakura to let go of Lee...B-But I dont want to date that jerk. That same guy who broke my heart. But I guess for Forehead's sake...I will __**have**__ to date Sasuke Uchiha...'_

Ino closes her eyes for a minute and then opens her eyes to look straight into Tsunade's.

"Fine. I'll do it. But after this week, I'm going to break up with him for good. No matter what."

"Ok ok. But you'll need to know why it is for this...uh...assignment."

Tsunade leans back in her chair and looks out her window as she starts to speak.

"You will have to be acting like you used to be with him. It seems that out of all the girls around, he liked you more than others. Or so I have heard."

Ino crosses her arms across her chest and sighs.

"Well what if he doesnt agree to date me?"

"Dont worry about that. I have already told him that he will have to, so then he could get a taste of some life. He agreed in about a hour talk. He is very stubborn..."

She says with slight delight in her voice.

_'Great...cant count on that plan anymore. I'll just have to make him break up with me before the end of the week, but even if I dont, I will dump him.'_

Ino sighs again.

"Fine. But what is the main reason for me to do this?"

"Well you see...we have sent ANBU and such to around with him, but they cant be around him forever you know. And besides the fact, Naruto will always be around Sasuke, so Shikamaru and Choji wont be alone. The thing I want to know is, what he does, when no one is around. And that's where you come in. You have to get close to him so then if there are any secrets he spills. But also, if he knows about our plans, with your stragetic and inteligent mind, you would be able to tell if he is lying."

A small smile appears on Ino's face, but not enough for Tsunade to see it.

She was right. Ino was able to read minds if she wanted too, and also she could tell if someone was lying just by looking at them.

"Alright. You did get me there. But about the training for the Event. How am I supposed to with him around?"

Tsunade sighs, still looking out of the windows.

"Just like you do now. That's why I have Shikamaru and Choji on this too. Everyone already knows you like to train alone. So Shikamaru, Choji, and Naruto, and whoever else will keep him busy during training sessions."

"Is that all we have to do then? I need to go to my shop."

"No. Actually not. You are dismissed from working today and are going to be sent to go to the park. Sasuke will be meeting you there in about 15 minutes."

Ino sighs deeply.

_'This cant get worse can it?'_

Tsunade sees that she gets the message and dismisses them.

Again, each one walks slowly out of the Fifth's Office and outside. Ino sighs indefinetly and crosses her arms.

"Why do I have to do this stupid mission?!"

Shikamaru sticks his hands into his pockets and shrugs.

"I dont know. Maybe the Hokage thinks you're the most capable. And you know you are, Ino."

Ino shrugs.

"Yeah yeah. Like I havent heard that before. Well see ya later. I have to meet the jerk. Bye..."

Ino trudges along heading for the park.

Choji, eating from a bag of chips, and Shikamaru look at her as she heads for the park.

"Hey Shikamaru, you think she can actually pull this off."

"Well if the Fifth picked her. And it's a mission. Then she'll have to. Besides...you never know what will happen. Come on, I need to go to the Main Gates. The Sand nin are coming in."

"Oh ok...so you're gonna ask that Temari out, arent ya?"

Shikamaru stops in his tracks.

"Yeah. Of course I am..."

He says sarcastically and starts walking again.

Choji sighs and follows him.

**

* * *

With Ino Going Towards The Park**

Ino slowly walks around and gets to the park. The blond-haired teen looks around and doesnt see a soul in sight.

"Ugh...guess I'm kinda early..."

Ino keeps on walking until she sees a small meadow of flowers where she was taught along with other girls on being kunoichis. She picks up a cosmo flower, puts it in her hair, and repeats her words that she said to Sakura softly.

"What do you think? Do I look like a cosmos flower?"

"Yeah. You do."

Ino turns around and sees none other than Sasuke Uchiha and slightly blushes,

"Uh...W-what are you doing here?"

The Uchiha shrugs.

"Tsunade said to meet someone here at this time. Guess it was you."

Ino's blood starts to boil because of that.

_'He didnt even know it was going to be me?? Ugh...the nerve...!'_

"So...why were you saying that?"

Ino surprised by what he asked, stands up and looks at him.

"None of your business. So...wanna do something then? Go to Ichiraku's or hang around here?"

"Hn."

Ino closes her eyes and then reopens them asking the question again.  
"Hello? Wanna go do something? Eat, hang around here? Something?"

The cosmos flower falls out of place from her hair.

Sasuke closes and the opens his eyes. He picks the flower off of the blond kunoichi's head and places it back into place.

Ino suddenly starts to blush lightly.

"W-What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

The mysterious Uchiha turns around and walks a few steps and then stops.

"So what do you want to do?"

Ino, again surprised, walks a few steps towards him.

"Um...let's go to Ichiraku's. Kay?"

"Hn..."

Both of the teen-aged ninja walk towards Ichiraku's.

* * *

But what will happen then?

End of Chapter 2! PLZ REVIEW!! ino4life


	3. Love Blooms Twice

_**

* * *

**_

Last Time

_Ino slowly walks around and gets to the park. The blond-haired teen looks around and doesnt see a soul in sight._

_"Ugh...guess I'm kinda early..."_

_Ino keeps on walking until she sees a small meadow of flowers where she was taught along with other girls on being kunoichis. She picks up a cosmo flower, puts it in her hair, and repeats her words that she said to Sakura softly._

_"What do you think? Do I look like a cosmos flower?"_

_"Yeah. You do."_

_Ino turns around and sees none other than Sasuke Uchiha and slightly blushes,_

_"Uh...W-what are you doing here?"_

_The Uchiha shrugs._

_"Tsunade said to meet someone here at this time. Guess it was you."_

_Ino's blood starts to boil because of that._

_'He didnt even know it was going to be me?? Ugh...the nerve...!'_

_"So...why were you saying that?"_

_Ino surprised by what he asked, stands up and looks at him._

_"None of your business. So...wanna do something then? Go to Ichiraku's or hang around here?"_

_"Hn."_

_Ino closes her eyes and then reopens them asking the question again._

_"Hello? Wanna go do something? Eat, hang around here? Something?"_

_The cosmos flower falls out of place from her hair._

_Sasuke closes and the opens his eyes. He picks the flower off of the blond kunoichi's head and places it back into place._

_Ino suddenly starts to blush lightly._

_"W-What are you doing?"_

_"Nothing."_

_The mysterious Uchiha turns around and walks a few steps and then stops._

_"So what do you want to do?"_

_Ino, again surprised, walks a few steps towards him._

_"Um...let's go to Ichiraku's. Kay?"_

_"Hn..."_

_Both of the teen-aged ninja walk towards Ichiraku's._

**

* * *

**

So what's gonna happen?? Let's see and yeah, kinda took the title from something...bet you know...maybe... rolls eyes with a smile

**

* * *

**

Love Blooms Twice

_**At Ichiraku's**_

Both 15 year-olds arrive at Ichiraku's and to their surprise, so were their friends. From right to left was Neji, TenTen, Lee, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Naruto, Kankuro, Choji, Shikamaru, Temari, Sakura, Gaara, and Sai. Two seats were left next to Sai. One for Ino. And one for Sasuke. The 14 ninja turn from their food and own conversations. Ino can feel their eyes staring at her as she and Sasuke sit down. Ino hears a whisper from TenTen to Neji,

_"What's happening? I though Ino gave up on him and stuff..."_

Before TenTen could even finish her sentence, Ino shot her a glare which sent her to put her attention back to her food.

Ino sighs deeply and looks around the little shop. Everything was normal. Ayame was standing around in case anyone needed something like water. Teuchi was making another bowl of noodles with about everything on it.

_'It's problably Naruto's'_

Ino lifted her arm signaling Ayame to come over.

"Um...Ayame, can I get a glass of water?"

Ayame nodded with a small smile on her face and goes off to get her a drink.

There was a silence until Ayame came back with Ino's water.

"Here you go Ino-san."

"Thank you Ayame." Ino took a sip and places it back on the table. Sakura was the next to break the silence.

"Hey Pig. So how's the training going? You're so gonna lose."

Ino looks at her emerald-eyed girl with her own sky blue eyes thanking silently for finally talking.

"Heh. Forehead, I bet you have to ask me since you do want to know from the best. Which IS me."

Ino smirks with a smile on her face, and Sakura smirks back.

"You nervous at all? Especially since you're going against some of the best here."

"Which is not including you thankfully Sakura. All you can really do is well...not much...is there? Maybe that's why you weren't picked."

The 16 ninjas all laugh except for Sakura who was pouting.

"Dont worry Sakura...I was just kidding...well except the fact that I am better than you."

Sakura regains her posture and smirks back.

"Well...I better be going. I need to go back to the hospital to help out Shizune-san. Oh Ino...Shizune-san also asked to speak with you. Come on, we can go there now since I'm heading there."

Ino nods and says her good-byes to the others.

_**

* * *

**_

With Ino and Sakura Going Towards The Hospital

The blond and pink haired ninja walk side-by-side to the hospital.

"So Sakura...what does Shizune-san want?"

Sakura shrugs. "Nothing. I just thought you needed to get out of there."

Ino smiles at and then smirks.  
"Thanks. I did..."

"Ino..."

"What?"

"What...are you doing?"

Ino stops and looks at her. "What do you mean?"

Sakura stops to look at the blond kunoichi.

"Why are you suddenly with Sasuke? I thought that you werent gonna do this. Especially now...the week before the Event! Ino..."

"Sakura...it's not my choice." Ino grips her hands into a fist.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean...that...I was ordered to start liking him again."

"By who?"

"Tsunade-sama..."

Sakura blinks twice before realizing what Ino had said.

"You arent serious, are you? I was beginning to feel that she was gonna ask me that. But...why didnt you say no?"

"You know me Sakura...I never decline a mission. And also..."

Sakura sees a small smile appear on Ino's face, but she could tell that Ino was almost crying.

"And what?"

"Oh nothing...heh heh..." Ino laughs nervously.

"Really...it's nothing. He's not gonna get to me. I'm just supposed to act like one of his fangirls. I was one of them, so this is gonna be easy. And it's just for a week. So yeah."

Ino smiles a genuine smile, making Sakura realize that Ino wasn't kidding at all.

"Now come on Sakura. We better go on to the hospital. I don't really have anything to do today, because my mom is taking care of it today. So should we? I guess I can help out there today since you already dragged me this far and cuz Shizune-san doesnt actually need me today, I'll just go and volunteer some time. You're _**not**_ the only medic-nin around here ya know."

Ino smirks with a wink at Sakura and starts to laugh a bit.

Sakura smirks back.

"Come on Pig. Let's get going then. You're gonna get me late to work."

_"I wonder...why Ino didn't say no to Tsunade-sama..."_

"Whatever Forehead."

Ino and Sakura make their way to the Hospital, ending part of their day already.

_"Sakura...you might find out later, you might not. But you better ask Lee out, or else I did all this for nothing..."_

_**

* * *

**_

The Qualifier Events

Ino Yamanaka stood with Shikamaru Nara behind her. The other team representatives stood by each other. Sasuke Uchiha was on one side of Ino, with Naruto behind her. Hinata Hyuuga and Kiba Inuzuka were on her left, with Neji and TenTen next to them and Kankuro and Temari beside the Team 7 representatives. Ino looked at her competition. They were the best of the best, from their teams anyway, and that's why they were there. The only thing she didn't understand was why Gaara wasn't in the Event, instead were his older brother and sister.

_"Hm...so this event is just going to be a survival excerisize like back then in the Chuunin Exams? Thankfully those sound ninjas and other ninjas aren't here...well besides the two from the Sand Team. I wonder why the Gaara guy isn't here instead. Maybe it's better that way...who knows what will happen? I mean--"_

_  
_A loud voice shout towards the 10 ninjas, quieting both the chatter from the selected 10 and the huge crowd surrounding the Hidden Forest of Konoha.

Ino looked up at a woman standing before them. It was none other than Tsunade.

"OK! You guys know what's going to happen. You have three days. This is simular to the Chuunin Exams you had problably taken back then. But you will not be getting scrolls. There are ten items in this forest. You must find each of them and then navigate yourself around to go to this building in the very center. In this round, you may team up with your team's representative for now. You may regroup or such as desired, just get through this. So I expect some of you to get through this with flying colors, but _some will be_ weeded out. And also if you are not there in three days, at exactly noon, you will be disquailified from going to the Beginning Events. Now...provided that you are all ready. Go to your designated gates and wait for my signal."

Each of the two-man representatives ran to their selected gates. Ino and Shikamaru were on the Western side of the large circular gates surrounding the forest.

Somehow, Tsunade's voice is heard, but just barely.

"Now. If everyone is ready. Begin."

Each of the five gates to the forest opens and the crowd cheers for whoever they wanted to survive, survive and get closer to winning. At the same time, each set of team representatives bolt into the forest.

_**

* * *

**_

..:With Team 10 Representatives: Ino and Shikamaru:..

At the sound of the fifth's voice saying "Begin", Ino swiftly ran through the rusting, metal gates with Shikamaru behind the blond as she started jumping from tree branch to tree branch.

"So Shika...what should we look for first?"

Shikamaru follows at a constant speed as he looks at the list of items. Most of them were plants and such, like flowers and plants on trees or in the ground. Lucky for him, his teammate was the daugther of a family who specializes not only in mind technique, but also in flowers and plants.

"This is going to be a long three days...we have a total of 20 items to find. All of what seems like are all over this place. So it will take a while to just find at least one or even two in a matter of five hours. But I guess...if we start now, we could find some that are around here."

The blond girl stops abruptly on a branch, making Shikamaru stop in his tracks before they crashed into each other.

"What is it?"

"Lemme see the list."

Shikamaru handed Ino the list and the blond eyed it, reading the items they had to find. Next she observed the surroundings around her. They were near marshes and some swampy areas.

"Come on."

Shikamaru tilts his head to side and looks down, rubbing his forehead.

"Heh. Troublesome as always..."

He quickens his pace to gain up with Ino who was already at their destination.

Ino squats down and looks at some plants.

"Dont just stand there Shika! Help!"

"Help with what? I dont even know what we are looking for..." Shikamaru replied in a lazy tone.

The blond throws the list at the pineapple shaped-hair boy. He catches it in mid-air and scans the sheet.

"What about it, huh?"

Ino sighs while moving around still in the squated position.

"Just help me look for the first one. The Barberry. It's location is usually in swampy areas. And so is #9, the Heloniopsis orientalis, it is found in moist soil. So keep your eye for these and tell me when you find either one of them."

_**

* * *

**_

..:With Sasuke and Naruto:..

"So Teme...where should we look first?" The energetic blond asked.

The Uchiha replys with a "Hn." and keeps moving along.

"Come on Teme! You have to talk or at least help. I cant do everything you know!"

An agitated vain is revealed as Sasuke grits his teeth and glares back at Naruto.  
"Shut up! ...You loser..."

Naruto makes a "" face and fastens his pace to try to knock Sasuke on the head. But Sasuke beat him to it and stopped suddenly making Naruto run into a tree. The knuckle-head ninja digs his head from the tree and turns to look at the Uchiha prodigy and gives in with a sigh.

"Fine Teme...let's make a deal."

Sasuke crosses his arm in his usual way he always did and leaned against a tree.

"What kind of deal, huh?"

Naruto scratches the back of his head.

"Um...well...how bout we actually try to work with each other on this? I want to win this thing."  
Sasuke sticks his hands in his pockets as usual and thinks.

"Fine. So what are we looking for?"

Naruto scans the list and starts saying the 10 items on the list making Sasuke sigh as the energetic ninja finishes reading.

"Any idea where we should look?"

Naruto shrugs.

"Hm...if only we had Ino-chan...you know her and plants and flowers and all that stuff. Too bad she isnt part of our team..."

Naruto crosses his arms and grunts looking around.

Sasuke stays quiet as he straightens up and looks around.

"Then come on, we'll go and look for some things. What's #1 again?"

Naruto scans the list again and stares at #1.

"Um...its the Barberry."

Sasuke yawns and closes his eyes.

"Then come on already." he says as he

starts flash-stepping from tree branch to tree branch again with Naruto following behind. But that's when Naruto stopped.

"Hey! Will you hurry up, you loser?"

But Naruto didnt move. He stayed in his spot and stared down. He found Ino and Shikamaru there, below them. Sasuke found that he had been running for the last five minutes with Naruto in the same spot he froze in. Sasuke was in no mood for Naruto's stupidity.

Suddenly Sasuke appeared next to Naruto and was about to yell his mouth off, when he saw that Naruto was staring at something...or someone.

"Naruto, you dobe! What are you doing?"

_**

* * *

**_

..:Normal POV/Slightly Ino's POV:..

A noise was heard up in the trees from where Ino and Shikamaru were.

Ino casually made her way to Shikamaru without making it obvious.

"Psst...Hey Shika."

"Wha-"

Ino put her index finger to her mouth, signaling him to shut up.

"Shh! There's someone watching us from up in the trees. Just stay put and dont make any wierd movements to make them know we know they're there. I'm gonna trap them. They shouldn't be trying to steal our answers or whatever we find."

Shikamaru sighs. It was useless to argue with Ino. Especially when it came to showing off any of her new techniques she learned for the last two years.

Ino casually gets up, pretending she was looking around for something else, when she was actually getting ready to use her trap she sets up everywhere she goes.

Hey, she has learned over the years that it was all that good at all do anything reckless and terrible. Her father would always scold her for not being more careful back then, and that just ticked her off. Like the blond didnt know what could happen if she left herself unguard.

Anyway...

The blond boy and dark haired boy stared down still, unknown to what was about to happen to them, when suddenly...

The dull blond haired girl bent down to look at a flower, when she cut some ninja wire that was neatly hidden to where she could cut both the wire and stem at the same time.

Leaves rattle lightly from above Naruto and Sasuke--who were still unknowing of what was about to happen when... _whoosh!_

A two seperate nets came swiftly from on top of Naruto and Sasuke capturing each of them, bringing them to a bruising landing.

Sasuke makes a "--" face.

_"Not another trap...I should really stay away from this girl...or at least not sneak up on her..."_

"HEY! WHAT WAS THAT?!"

Sasuke turned his face away from Naruto who was shouting.

Ino puts one hand on her hip, leaving the other to hang down her side. and sighs.

"Oh it's just you two. What were you doing up there? Trying to get some answers from us?! Geez Naruto...you're really hopeless sometimes..."

Naruto laughs nervously.

"Heh heh...sorry Ino-chan...but really! Did you have to do that?"

Ino smirks.

"Course I did. I mean, I might've done it differently if I knew it was you, but I didn't know it was you two. It could've been anyone, so whatever. Back to my question though! Why were you spying, huh? You heard the rules, only two-man squads. And I dont think Shika and I will really want to join your group. You can't even find a barberry or an onion or even...even...poison ivy! Come on. Why would we want to join your group? Huh? So you mind as well leave."

Naruto grunts.

"How can we go?! You have us caught in these thi--"

As Naruto finishes his word, within the blink of an eye, the two nets were cut into little pieces, letting Sasuke and Naruto go.

"I guess I spoke too soon..."

Ino smirks again and crosses her arms across her chest.

"Whatever. So you should get going. I mean...it's getting dark, and then tomorrow is the second day. There's no good reason for why Shika and I should join your group."

Naruto thinks for a minute.

"Um...Sasuke-teme is going to be in our group. How bout that? Huh? We know you still like him Ino-chan!"

Both Ino and Sasuke go a little wide-eyed, stimultaneously hitting him upside the head, giving him to lumps on his head.

"H-H-Hey...what'd you guys do that for...? T-That really hurt..."

Ino and Sasuke look at each other, with Ino, starting to blush lightly enough for no one to see, and quickly tries to change her face to her usual smirky cute "I dont care" look.  
"Hpm. Thats what you get Naruto...talking about such things."

Naruto starts to get a sweat drop down.

"What? I didnt lie about anything...now come on Ino-chan...come help me and Sasuke-teme."

Ino shakes her head no, with Naruto pleading at her feet.

"Come on Ino-chan! They won't know what happens. I mean, so what if Granny-Tsunade hears about it. At least we are using teamwork. That should count for something. Right?"

Ino sighs. What was she going to do?

* * *

TBC...To Be Continued!! Whoo...lol. Yeah...i know i said i would update it sooner, but i had major writers block. But i guess will do...PLEASE REVIEW! lol. No flames plz and thank yaz! )

** ino4life**


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